The Netherlands has a new development program. Maisters focuses on young professionals with several years of work experience. In two and a half years, they will be taught the intricacies of management consulting. We spoke to Summiteers co-founder Lidia Swinkels and Maisters co-founder Eric Moes about the new program.

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In a business landscape where change is no longer the exception but the only constant, there is an increasing need for professionals with advisory skills. “Advisory skills are expected in more and more jobs, even outside the consulting field,” Moes begins. “Think, for example, of someone who works in a line organization and plays an advisory role to other departments of the same company.”

Maisters responds to this growing need among companies and offers a select group of talents the opportunity to take the next step in their professional and personal development. In addition, there is close cooperation with Summiteers: the office provides the content guidance to 'de Maisters' and part of the intensive training program that they go through.

Different than usual

Moes emphasizes that Maisters should not be seen as just another traineeship program. “First of all, Maisters is not for starters,” he says. “The 'Maisters' have about two to five years of work experience. So they have already worked quite a few flying hours and therefore already know much better what their development points are.”

The program can therefore be better described as the next step. “The focus is on people who are development-oriented and, for example, have completed a traineeship, or a first job at a consultancy.” In addition, it also offers opportunities for entrepreneurship: “Maisters is a new concept, so you should be cool to take part in this new adventure and help build the company.”

Moreover, the process is not only intended for talents who want to develop into consultants. “Precisely because there is an increasing need for consulting skills within line positions, the program is interesting for both young professionals who want to become consultants and for those who want to work in another field where these skills are an advantage.”

“This is also what makes coaching the Maisters so cool for Summiteers,” adds Swinkels. “Each Maister has a different work experience and their own development path in mind. The common denominator is that Maisters want to become very good at those consulting skills. At Summiteers, we can teach those skills, help with content and help a Maister in his personal development. Very versatile, which also makes the cooperation with Maisters very valuable for the development of Summiteers.”

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Guidance on tough jobs

For two and a half years, the Maisters have been working on “three tough jobs with three different clients, often (medium) large Dutch companies”, Moes explains. “For about ten months, the Maister will strengthen an internal advisory team or change team at the customer. During this time, he or she performs one or more assignments.”

During these projects, the young professionals are coached by experienced Summiteers consultants. Swinkels: “This is intensive and professional 'on the job' guidance. The Summiteers coach is not only a sparring partner for the Maister, but also goes to the customer. The coach is aware of the content of the assignment and from there helps the Maister with the issue. But the Maister remains the owner. The coach and Maister need to be well attuned to each other to find the right cooperation in this.”

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Training by Summiteers

In addition to the practical assignments, the process includes an extensive training program, partly provided by Summiteers. Swinkels: “Maisters receive monthly training in the context of advisory skills. From conversation techniques to advisory models and from coaching to operating models.”

“Some of these training courses were already available within Summiteers, but we also develop many training courses specifically for this,” he explains. “As a result, many different colleagues are involved in part of the training program: from setting up training courses to providing them. Which gives another dimension to the role of Summiteer!”

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Recognisable player

Finally, although Summiteers is closely involved in the program, Moes emphasizes that Maisters is not part of the Utrecht office. “Maisters is its own company with its own proposition, aimed at developing a specific target group by fulfilling assignments in advisory teams and change teams. Summiteers plays a very important supporting role here. Of course, we hope that Maisters will be as recognisable a player as Summiteers.”